When Congress and the Federal Reserve passed new laws and rules that rob banks of some of their favorite fees, the industry came up with some new ones.

Americans now use debit cards more than credit cards. And next year, they could even surpass cash. And that, experts say, is why banks are now looking to cash in on your debit cards.

Consumers aren't happy.

"It is pretty irritating," Amanda Harris said.

"It's hard enough, it's our money," another accountholder said.

Gotcha No. 1: No more free debit cards.

Bank of America is about to start charging a $5 per month debit card fee. Use your card just once, to buy something like a $1 bottle of water, and you'll owe it. A Bank of America spokesperson says "the economics of offering a debit card have changed with recent regulations."

If you have an account requiring a minimum number of deposits or balance amount, pay close attention to your statements. Use account alerts to notify you when your balance drops close to the level that gets you hit with a fee.

Check the fine print. Many banks advertise free checking, but have stipulations that must be met to waive monthly fees.

Keep up with monthly debit card transactions. Some banks are adding fees if you don't use your debit card enough.

Find out what activities will waive your monthly maintenance fee. Banks may waive the fee for online banking, a certain number of deposits or more debit card usage.

If you didn't opt out of overdraft protection, contact your bank and opt out now. While banks still promote its benefits, this protection can be costly should you overdraw your account.